Ridge pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache and looked at me apologetically. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do with her.” With a humorless smile, he asked, “Any advice?”
“A pair of cement boots and a bottomless pit?”
He laughed. “Don’t tempt me,” he replied as he pulled off his apron. “We can go now.”
I got into the car and started the engine, and a few seconds later,Ridge pulled up next to me in an SUV and gestured for me to follow him.
It was desolate on those narrow roads leading out of the center of town, and just as silent as it was dark. I started to ask myself what Hayley and Scott had seen in that no-man’s-land that had made them want to buy a house there. Ridge’s left blinker started flashing, and he turned soon afterward. After a couple more yards, he stopped. I braked next to him and managed to make out the outline of a house against the sky.
“Here it is,” Ridge said, getting out.
“Are you sure?”
“There are just three other houses in Old Bay, and I know the owners of those. They’re islanders, and they’ve all been here forever. So this is the only one it can be.”
I tried to glimpse some detail that might remind me of the few photos I’d seen of the place, but I only remembered them vaguely.
A trail led around the house to the front door, which looked out onto the sea. With one foot on the first step, I drew a tense breath, gripping the key tight. Ridge had left his truck running with the high beams on so I could see, and he’d told me he’d come in with me just to make sure everything was all right.
The lights didn’t work.
Ridge told me to wait as he walked inside, using the flashlight on his phone to light the way to the fuse box. A few minutes later, I could hear a slight hum in the walls, and the overhead bulbs turned on. I blinked a few times until my eyes got used to it.
The walls were white, a contrast to the burnished caramel brown of the doors and window frames. What few furnishings there were had a solid and robust appearance and were honey-yellow to match the brass of the fireplace with its protective glass pane. A few paintings added color to the room, as did the upholstery of the sofa andchairs and the cushions and curtains. It was simple but pretty. I liked it.
Ridge smiled as he reappeared. “You’ve got electricity and water now. And I wrote my number on the chalkboard in the kitchen in case you need anything.”
“Thanks, but you don’t have to…”
“Everyone here knows everyone else. And you can never predict when you might have an emergency or need help. Besides, your nearest neighbor is a mile away south.”
He didn’t need to say more to convince me. A strange feeling of apprehension brought me to a shiver. I had been living alone, sleeping alone for years, but I’d always been surrounded by people right next door. Solitude was relative in a big city. Here it was real and intimidating, and it felt eerie.
“Thanks.”
“Of course. Well, it’s getting to be that time when I need to go home before Carlie steals a boat and rows off. Are you good here?”
I looked around and nodded, trying to appear convinced. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
I followed him out and heard something that frightened me again. Ridge had left his radio on, and a shrill voice was giving what seemed like a meteorological report. Ridge turned the volume up, looking worried.
“The approaching storm will be one of the strongest in years, my friends, with constant winds of up to sixty miles per hour and occasional gusts up to ninety. We can expect rain and hail, so those of you who haven’t covered your gardens should try to, and fishermen should bring in their traps and stay indoors. Don’t worry, the crabs and lobsters won’t go anywhere. Remember, this could drag on for several days, so people should make sure they have enough food, water, and whatever else they need. The rain will start Wednesday on the northern coast and willcontinue southward in the hours afterward. We are urging maximum caution…”Now another voice took over:“Well, you heard the man. Thanks, Terry, for looking after us, and we look forward to you keeping us up to date. This is Kevin Brooks at Petit Prince Radio. Have a good night.”
Suddenly my throat felt dry. “What storm is he talking about?”
“They’ve been going on about it for days. The atmospheric temperature dropped rapidly for the season and the ocean’s still warm. High pressure in one place, low pressure in the other…”
I closed my eyes and tried to organize my thoughts. I knew how storms worked and what caused them; that wasn’t what I meant. I shook my head, unable to accept that a storm would hit as soon as I’d reached the island.
“This morning while I was at the airport waiting for my flight, I looked at the weather for the week and it was supposed to be fine, just one little storm north of the Magdalen Islands that was due to bypass us to the northwest.”
“Yep. Well, it looks like they got it wrong.”
“How could they get it wrong? It was a national meteorological service report. They have all kinds of equipment at their disposal. You think this Terry knows more than them? Where did he study?”
“Terry? I doubt he even went to high school, but he’s got lots of experience and a funny knack for knowing these things.”
“Instinct? He just told everyone to take cover, like a Category 4 hurricane was about to strike.”
